A delay locked loop (DLL) is a commonly used circuit for synchronizing clocks. A DLL works by inserting delay between an input clock and a feedback clock until the two rising edges align, putting the two clocks 360° out of phase (meaning they are in phase but delayed by exactly one clock cycle time). After the edges from the input clock line up with the edges from the feedback clock, the DLL “locks.” As long as the circuit is not evaluated until after the DLL locks, the two clocks have no discernible difference in phase.
DLLs typically comprise a phase detector (e.g., XOR, latch, etc.), a charge pump, a capacitor, and voltage controlled delay line. Typically, the types of phase detectors employed are current sources that are “on” for all or part of the duration of the cycle time. FIG. 1 depicts a prior art example of a DLL 10 having a delay chain 12 that receives an input clock (iclk) and generates an output clock (clk). The output clock (clk) and a reference clock signal (refclk) are inputs to a phase detector (PD) 14, which in turn controls a charge pump 16 that charges or discharges a capacitive load 18, depending upon whether the output clock (clk) is lagging or leading the reference clock (refclk).
Note that phase detector 14 is a clocked latch whose output is a digital signal valid for a full clock cycle. This type of signal created by this circuit, referred to as a “bang-bang” control signal type, has constant amplitude and a direction dependent on the polarity of the phase error (in contrast to a linear control signal where the phase detector produces a signal proportional to the phase error). Charge pump 16 is a push-pull current source that injects a current into a capacitive load 18 for the duration of a clock cycle. The charge pump current polarity is either positive (charging) or negative (discharging) into the load. As the period of the clock signal becomes longer (lower frequency), the magnitude of the voltage swings on the control node of the voltage controlled delay line Vc becomes larger, and consequently, more jitter is produced on the output of delay chain 12. In other words, the charge being loaded onto the control voltage Vc is proportional to the cycle time of the DLL.
Since DLLs typically are required to operate over a wide frequency range (typically a ratio of 2 to 1), it is important to minimize jitter over the entire frequency range. Accordingly, a need exists for an enhanced DLL circuit that can minimize jitter, particularly for processing low frequency clock periods.